CHAMBER CONCERT INSPIRES

Special guests of Lorenz series are masters of their instruments.

By Larry Warkentin - February 27, 2010

The Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concerts made a fortunate exception to its moniker and presented the cello-piano artists Alexander Chaushian and Vahan Mardirossian Friday at the CSUF Concert Hall. Both performers have appeared as soloists in major venues throughout Europe and America. They have also given numerous concerts together. With special support from a host of Armenian organizations and individuals in Fresno the concert was well attended and greatly appreciated.

Of the three Sonatas on the program the unquestionable highlight was Sonata in D Minor, Op. 40 by Dmitri Shostakovich. Cellist Chaushian and pianist Mardirossian received their training in the Soviet Union at a time when Shostakovich was the dean of Russian composers. Perhaps for that reason they have a special affinity for his music.

Sometimes a composer’s creative imagination can stretch farther than the society he represents, as was the case with Shostakovich. At one point he was publicly criticized by Stalin because there was too much dissonance in his music. Shostakovich managed to bend with the demands of his government without sacrificing his creative integrity. Surely no dictator could find fault with the haunting melodies and seductive harmonies in this sonata. The performers were completely at home with the hints of tonality in the style of Hindemith, and the sometimes teasing melodies in the style of Poulenc.

Chaushian had command of the wide range of techniques demanded by the sonata. His intonation was flawless, his bowing remarkable and his treatment of harmonics inspiring. Perhaps his most conspicuous skill was his ability to end phrases and chord resolutions with the most delicate pianissimo.

Mardirossian was a master of the keyboard. The notes seemed to fly from his fingers in the fastest passages. And with only the slightest glance at each other the two musicians were always precisely together. There were a few moments when the piano seemed to overpower the cello and it might have been better if the piano lid had not been fully open.

The third movement of the Shostakovich sonata provided the most deeply introspective and satisfying music of the evening. The cello, even in the hands of an amateur, has a warm and sensuous quality. In the hands of a master like Chaushian the rich tone, especially in the middle and lower register was absolutely intoxicating.

The program opened with Sonata in B minor by Alexander Borodin. It is a pleasant work held together musically by a short theme which is heard in every movement. The performers were aware of this unifying device and emphasized it whenever it occurred. It seemed like the cello was written too often in the upper register which became abrasive at times. Borodin’s writing for cello paled in comparison to the writing by Shostakovich.

After intermission they performed Sonata in A Major by César Franck. This sonata is more often heard in its original violin setting, however it was equally beautiful with cello. Franck was best known as an organist and the opening legato melodic writing for the cello and the sustained harmonies on the piano seem to reflect this background. His music represents well the final flowering of nineteenth century romanticism. The final movement is a conversation between the soloist and the pianist. Chaushian and Mardirossian made this an intriguing dialogue and brought the work to a dramatic conclusion.

The audience responded with a standing ovation and demanded an encore. Each of the artists performed a solo composition by a composer from Armenia. If chamber musicians of this caliber can become a regular feature of this series it could only enhance its reputation. The name of the series could easily be changed to the Philip Lorenz Memorial Artists Concerts.

Larry Warkentin is a composer and pianist. He is professor emeritus at Fresno Pacific University where he served on the faculty for forty years.